Daddies Brat

India

Present

“Oh, good darling, there you are.”

The second I bound around the edge of the privacy screen I run nose-first into my father.

My nerves take a shock of electricity. I cast about for a way around him but all the freaking guests seem to have huddled nearby. There has to be at least thirty in every direction I look and with no way out I’m left with no choice but to create a scene or take what’s coming next.

I play off my would-be exit and give my father a quick peck on the cheek, falling into daughter mode with a snap of a finger. “Good evening, Father. Is there something the matter? You look flustered.”

His eyes fall to a spot over my shoulder and I know it’s to find Tomas, Stefan, and Maksym.

Busted. Thank God layers of makeup hide my red face.

I take a quick look over my shoulder. They’ve straightened their bow ties and from this viewpoint and soft lighting, one could never tell they were a razor’s edge away from making me come for them only a moment ago.

Their intoxicating scents rattle my brain as I try to come up with a reasonable answer for the questions I know are coming my way from what my father is witnessing. I groan inwardly. My mind whirls with one explanation after another.

My father, a robust man topping his late fifties with a silver cap of hair and square glasses like my own chuckles, surprising me. He shoves his hands into his pants pockets sheepishly. “I see you’ve found our special guests of the evening.” Despite his smile, his tone is flatter than a sheet of paper.

“I have.” Why lie, right? Pretty sure my warm skin gives away some of what I’ve been doing.

He considers me for a moment. My plump lips, my mused hair, and possibly smeared lipstick if it didn’t hold up to product expectations. Instead of seeing judgment in his eyes, there is a weird sense of calm I see shift across his expression.

“I see.” The wrinkles in his face deepen a faction with his slight smile.

Please, God, I hope not. “You see what?”

My father wraps his arms around me and pulls me in for a tight hug. “You need to go with these gentlemen. There are more threats than you are aware of and as long as you are determined to work on that blasted code, you require what they offer. And something my teams cannot provide.”

I cough out a choked, “I need to do what now?”Owned by NôvelDrama.Org.

“Follow orders for once, girl, for God’s sake.”

My father raises his voice a fraction so we can hear him over the small orchestra that has started playing for tonight’s gala.

I shake my head emphatically. Tomas is beside me. My eyes draw to his. Dark. Intense. Just like the man. Hair has slipped to fall over his forehead making his hard edges a little softer.

“We will work the room a couple of times. Let anyone here tonight know she is under our protection and then we will take our leave. Here is our direct number. We will pick up any time of day.”

I look on as Tomas passes my father a black card with a single line of white numbers across the middle.

I jerk it out of his hand and rip it to pieces. “That won’t be needed. I’m not going anywhere with you.” My voice rises in pitch.

All three surround me and my lady parts are all over the idea of their body heat mingling with mine. Well, my vagina can just shut up and be happy with what I give her in the privacy of my bedroom.

And now I’m talking about my vagina in third person.

God, someone slap me already.

It’s Stefan who slinks an arm around my waist and locks me to his side. I press a finger to the point between my brows and rub.

“Father, this is entirely not necessary and what will people think with three men trailing after me. I have work to do.” I keep my voice low, trying to not make a scene.

My father guffaws. “My dear, you work for me. Everyone already talks about us. It comes with the territory. It’s only your mother who worries about the gossip. And apparently you.”

I inhale sharply. “With good reason. I refuse to see-”

“-I won’t hear it,” he cuts me off. “This is happening and you will do as you are instructed. This is not up for debate. My baby girl’s life means more to me than what a bunch of gossiping politicians and asshole stockholders have to say when you have your back turned.”

I open my mouth to object again but shut it just as quickly when my father holds a hand up.

“Since you won’t listen to reason and ditch this notion of finishing your brother’s code and challenging everyone at every step just to finish it, you’ve left me with no choice but to accept the help of these gentlemen.”

To my complete shock, my father looks saddened a moment before he abruptly turns to leave. He had more to say, but the firm line to his lips stops me from asking. I reach for him, but Maksym’s hand clasps mine.

“I haven’t seen that look in his eye since they buried my brother.” I look between the three of them. “What have you done?”

“What we had to do to keep them from burning their daughter.” Their expressions morph to reveal the savage beasts beneath the civil masks they slip behind for the public’s sake. And mine, I wager.

I don’t think my father realizes his grave mistake. These men aren’t bodyguards. They are wolves.

As soon as my father’s back is turned the hulkish wall of muscle snaps back into place and all three look down at me with a fierce look of hunger in their eyes.

Wolfish grins flash on their faces.

“And we did what we had to do to place our queen by our sides.”